[GreenKeys] oddity on the bay

[tony.podrasky]

GM OMs;

Reminds me of my last trip to the FCC (Amateur Extra test).

The FCC Engineer did the General Class first, then the
Advanced Class next, and finally the Amateur Extra Class.

I was the only one to take the A-E test.

When I took the 20 WPM test, he sat and watched me. When
I turned in the copy he shook his head in disbelief: it was
solid perfectly shaped block letters/numbers.

Then I took the written test. Walked right through each question,
reread my answers, and turned in the paper. The Engineer said that
I failed. I asked by how many questions? He said you got a 40%.

I said; there is NO WAY IN THE WORLD that I got 40% of the test wrong!
He checked and found that he had used the wrong key - and said that
I got 95%. I said: That's more like it - and I'll be the question that
I missed was the one about "DB's" because I just don't understand that.
He checked and said: that's the one you missed.

It turns out he was a ham, too. I asked him what class and he said
General. I said; "how is it you work here and you don't have the
Amateur Extra Class? He said that the theory was too much for him.

ANYWAY,
He took me into the back room and showed me that CW tape machine.
I asked: "how fast can it go?" He said: "60 WPM" (as I recall).
I asked him: can you fire it up to 60 WPM for me. He said: "sure".
I called out each word as it was sent (there is NO WAY I could write
at 60 WPM). He just shook his head.
That was some 45-50 years ago - but it sure looked like the one
in the eBay listing.

P.S. I have a CPO connected to one of my computers, that's next to
my bed. I wrote a program to take text and turn it into CW - including
all the punctuation. I copy Bible passages and play them while I wait
to fall asleep. Usually I use an up-to-date modern English Bible
but when I'm feeling cocky I'll use Olde English text.

UE,
K2EAA - TONY
NNNN
ZCZC



On 04/17/2020 09:08 AM, Nick England wrote:
> Instructograph code practice machine.
> Very common back in Ye Olden Days. The machines and tapes turn up on
> eBay regularly I think.

-- 
"Thank you for coming, Mrs. Goddard.
The school is concerned about your boy's math skills.
Let's just say young Robert is no balloon scientist."
                                         - Graham Alig